Ball control game apparatus



Apnl 7, 1953 R. J. LOHR ET AL BALL CONTROL GAME APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET1 Filed July 21, 1952 4 INVENTORS. eAy/walvo .z 1.0/42 RICH/4E0 N.CARVER- TI'E Z April 7, 1953 R. J. LOHR ET AL BALL CONTROL GAMEAPPARATUS Filed July '21, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. eAYMo/vo .7.40/12 2/0/4120 cnevse Affoeusw M Fig. 3 is a vertical Patented Apr. 7,1953 Raymond J. 1.0115 and Richard N. Carver, Erie, Pa, assignors toLouis Marx & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New. York7 Application July 21, 1952, Serial No. 300,066

This invention relates to games, and more particularly to ball controlgames.

. The primary object of the present invention is to generally improvesuch games. A more particular object is to so simplify the constructionof the game that it may be made under quantity production conditionsatlow cost, while at the same time strengthening the game structure andgiving it a smooth, finished, lustrous appearance superior to priorgames made at far greater cost. With these objects inview we haveoriginated agamestructure in which we use a clear transparent plastic asthe transparent top wall of the game, and we further mold the top wallintegrally with side and end walls, and ball intercepting elements. Thelatter'here shown include partition walls, scoring pockets and stalls,and obstacle pins, all molded integrally with the top wall in a singlemolding operation. To'complete the toy it is merely necessary to add abottom wall, and this may be inexpensively madeof thin sheet metalappropriately lithographed to add color to the toy, and to providescoring targets and numbers. Moreover, the bottom may be attached to themain body of the. toy inexpensively by using projections on the moldedbody of the toy. as rivets, and the edges of the:sheet metal bottom maybe housed within aperipheral plastic ledge, thus protecting the useragainst contactwith the sharp edge of the sheet metal, and also avoidingany cheapening of the appearance of the toy which .might result fromexposure of the sheet'metal. To accomplish the foregoing generalobjects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafterappeanour invention resides in the ball control game elements and theirrelation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly describedin the following specifications The specification is accompanied bydrawings, in which: I j V l Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toy embodyingfeatures of our invention; Fig. 2 is an end view lookingat the near endthet y; 1. section taken approximately in the planeof the line 3-3 ofFig. 1, with ,the projector omitted;

Figs. 4 and 5 -are sections taken approximately in the plane ofthe line5-5 of Fig. 1 ,but one before and the other after a rivetingoperation;----Fig. 6 is a section showing a detail and is taken approximately inthe plane of the line 6-4} of Fig. 1, with the bottom-wall omitted;

.5; .-F s.-; i i e me rr hor z nta s t on 7 Claims. (01. 273-421) 2taken. approximately inthe plane of the line l-| of Fig.2; Fig. 8 is abottom plan view of the toy; v7 Fig. 9 is a side elevation showingthetoy in inclined playing position; I

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of areferred form of firing projector usedin the toy, in the direction viewed in Fig. 9, or looking from right toleft in Fig. 7; and a Fig. 11 is a fragmentary section takenapproximately in the plane of the line Il--I| of Fig. 1.

Referring to-thedrawing, and more particularlyto Figs. ,1 and 2 thereof,the game comprises a transparent top wall l2 with which there isintegrally molded a remote end wall 14, a near end wall [S and sidewalls [8. The terms remote? and near are relative to the player, who islocated at the lower endto operate the projector knob 30. The one-piecemolded structure is closed at the bottom by means of a bottom plate 20best shown in Figs. 3 and 8. In the present case the bottom is made of asingle piece, of sheet metal stamped to desired configuration. The topface of the sheet metal may be lithographed to provide scoreindications, not shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, although in practicethey are clearly visible through the glasslikev transparent, molded body[2. It will be noted that the peripheraledge of the molded body isappropriately. offset, as shown at .22 (Fig. 3), and recessed toreceivethe metal bottom 20, the edges of the latter being housed within andconcealed by the plastic.

.Reverting to Fig. 1. the top wall I2 has molded integrally therewith apartition wall 24 (Fig. 1). This separates the left sideof the gamewhich acts as a scoring compartment, and the right side of the gamewhich acts as a ball storage and ball projecting compartment. At itsnearend the partition 24 curves leftward, as shown at 26 (Fig. l), and has abranch extending rightward,

here as projector 30.

The top wall also has molded integrally therewith a seriesofscoringpockets 32. In the present case there are-eight such pockets,seven of which are semi-cylindrical in shape, while the eighth;indicated at 34, has an additional wall or extension 36 extendingupwardly therefrom.

There are additional partition walls formed :integrally with both thetopwall l2 and the'nearer end walll 6, these being shown at 38. They act todivide the near end of the game into a series of scoring stalls,inlwhich the balls may be resentially frustoconical in shape, as is bestshown in Figs. 4 and 5. If desired the pin may be hollowed and moldedwith a conically shaped opening 42 which passes right through the topwall l2 of the toy. This helps insure complete accurate filling of themolding cavity which forms the pin, and incidentally helps savematerial,

although that is not the main reason for using the same. A smallfragment of the top wall is shown broken away at 4-5 in Fig. 1, therebyexposing a part of one of the hollow pins 4!! section at 40'.

The pins, and also the partitions and pockets 24, 32, and 38, extenddownwardly from the top wall l2 toward the bottom 29, and preferably allthe way down to the bottom, for in that case they help support andstiffen the bottom against upward movement. Moreover, rivets for holdingthe bottom may be formed at the lower ends of selected ones of the pins,and also at selected points on the partitions. Thus referring to Fig.

'4, it will be seen that the pin $13, as molded, in-

cludes acylindrical stud 44. This passes through a mating hole in thebottom 26 and by application of a heated tool the projecting end may bespread or riveted, as shown at 48 in Fig. 5, thereby anchoring thebottom as well as spacing it properly from the top wall l2. These rivetsare most readily formed at the lower ends of the pins, and referring toFig. 8, which shows the bottom of the toy, such rivets are shown at 46.Four additional rivets 58 are formed on the partitions, and thecorresponding locations will be seen at 50in Fig. 1. Another rivet 52 isformed in one corner, the corresponding location being shown in Fig. 8and in Fig. 1. The unnumbered rivets in Fig. 8 are on pins 40 (Fig.1)like rivets Mi (Fig. 8). In Fig. 8 it will be seen that in addition tothe rivets, some marginal tabs may be riveted over the edge of the sheetmetal bottom,

plest form is semi-circular, in order to guide a projected ball smoothlyaround after it has been fired by the ball projector 30. Despite thecurved configuration of the wall Hi, the one-piece molded body isextended outward beyond the curved wall 14, as is indicated by the areas-68, which are at a lower level immediately adjacent the bottom wall 20,as is best shown in Fig. 11. These extensions provide room in which toform inverted sockets '62 which detachably receive legs 64, as is bestshown in Fig. 9. The metal bottom 20'is cut away at the socket holes, asshown at 62 in Fig. 8. When the legs are inserted in the sockets thegame is supported at an angle to the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 9.However, in shipping the toy or when storing it away the legs consideredapproximately square in cross-section andhol'low. but with two adjacentlongitudinal "bar of balls, in this case five.

3 walls removed, leaving only the remaining two walls, a vertical wall66, and a horizontal wall 68, so that for all of its length except atthe ends 14 and 18 (Fig. 10) it is L-shaped in section. Thus theprojector is adapted to be received in an L- shaped slot shown at 10 inFig. 3. The actuating spring 72 is received in the hollow projector, asis best shown in Fig. 7, and is disposed between the front wall M of theprojector, and the end wall 16 of the molded main body of the toy. Thenearer end wall 18 of the projector is disposed outside the body of thetoy, and carries the operating knob, which is integral with theprojector.

It will be evident that in assembling the toy it is merely necessary todrop the projector into the L-shaped slot 10, with the spring 12 inposition, following which the addition of the bottom 28 holds theprojector in place. The projector is guided on bottom by the bottom wall20; on top by the top wall I2; on the right by the adjacent side wall[8; and on the left by theadjacent parts marked 50 in Fig. 1. When theprojector :is drawn back the spring is compressed. If desired therearward motion may be limited by the introduction of appropriate stopmeans, here molded in the corner of the main body, as shown at 19 inFigs. 1, 6 and 9.. The top wall l2 may be provided with a series ofraised scale indications, shown at 88 in Figs. 1 and 9. These help guidethe operator of the toy so that he may repeat a length of stroke whichhe has found to be successful, or changealength of stroke found to. beunsuccessful.

Before leaving the description of the projector, attention is directedto'the fact that the near end wall N5 of the main body of the game isdisplaced or offset inwardly at the projector, to provide room for theoperating knob 38, without having the knob project beyond the said wall5. This is convenient in boxing, shipping, or storing the toy, for itwill fit in afiat rectangular cardboard box dimensioned to just receivethe main body of the game.

.As so far described it has been assumed that the bottom 20 :is a flatsurface. However, one of the advantages of using sheet metal is that .it.may be shaped somewhat to improve the operation ofithe game. Thusreferring :to Fig. 8, attention "is directed to the parts 82., 84 and86.

These :are shallow channels or trough-like parts which are depresseddownward as viewed in Fig. 1 (or upwardas viewed In Fig. 8). The part 84acts as a guide to receive and .hold a line of balls waiting to befired. The sloping part 86 (Fig. 8) helps guide the lowermost ball toaposition .in front of the projector when the projector is fullyretracted. The channel 82 helps guide the ball being fired so that itmoves on a straight liine up to the narrowed guide passage 88 (Fig. 1

Reverting to Fig. 8, the bottom 20 may have some sloping ridges atappropriate points, here marked 90. These are 3 eon-vex downward asviewed in Fig. 8, and convex upward as viewed in Fig. 1. They serveslightly to prevent the ball from being trapped completely dead by anobstacle in front of which theguide is provided.

The game may be provided with a desired num- They are all permanentlysealed inside the game, and therefore inaccessible, and cannot be lost,'yet all of them are readily restored to initial firing position byfirst'tilting the board toward the upper right hand corner, and thentilting it toward the near end and then toward the left until the ballsare aligned along the partition wall 24. Each time the projector isretracted and let go, one ball is fired."

The pockets 32 may be given suitable score values. Similarly the stallsbetween the partitions 38 may be given suitable score values. A

different score value, say three times as high, may

be provided for a'second ball gotten int-o thesame 'stall'as a firstballs A premium score value, perhaps ten times the sum of the scorevalues of the five stalls, may be provided in the event that the fiveballs are landed into all five stalls, with one case the firing channelabove the plunger is drawn to resembleabazooka, and the pockets 32 areeach formed at an'illustration of a piece of :armament, such as a heavytank, a medium tank,

jeep, a heavy truck, a machine gun, an antiaircraftgun,r.or-an;anti-tank gun. These are each giyen an appropriate score value.The game-'isthus made into a kind of war game, but it is obvious thatthe bottom may be lithographed to adopt some other motif. Thelithography and scorevalues have therefore been omitted from'theydrawing. r I It is believedthat the construction, method ofassembly, and method of operation of our improved ball control game, aswell as the advan ftages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing;detailed description. Thegame has a rich,

lustrous, finished appearance, because almost all of the game structureis made of glass-like transproduced at low. costbecause' substantiallyall of the game structure is molded in a single piece, in

a single molding operation. The bottom. i'sj'in'- expensively stampedout of sheet metal, appropriately lithographed to add everything that isneeded in the way of color, illustration, and score markings. Toassemble the toy the balls and the ball projectorwith its spring aredropped in position, and the bottom added and riveted in place by meansof rivets formed integrally with the main molded body. The gameis'characterized by a smooth, dependable operation which is intriguingand challenging to the user. The halls cannot be lost.

It will be apparent that while we have shown and described the inventionin a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure disclosedwithout departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to bedefined in the following claims. In the claims the term ballintercepting element is intended to be generic to the pins, pockets,stalls, and partitions.

We claim: 7

l. A ball control-type game device comprising integrally molded top,end, and side walls closed by a bottom and a ball projecting projector,said projector being approximately square in section and hollow but withat least one side missing, a vertical side of said projector beingreceived in a slot in the near end wall, a compression spring disposedin the hollow space of the projector for normally pushing the projectorforward, and a parent plastic.- However, the game may be mass handleformed at the rear end of the projector.

2. A game device comprising top and end and side walls molded out oftransparent moldable plastic to form a single body which is generallyenclosed except at the bottom, a generally opaque bottom made ofrelatively thin sheet material and having apertures for the reception ofrivets, the periphery of said molded plastic body surrounding the bottomto protect the edge of the bottom, and a ball, a plurality of ballinterceptving elements molded integrally with said top wall andprojecting downwardly from said top wall toward the bottom, the lowerends of some of said ball intercepting elements being shaped to formspacer surfaces and rivets, which rivets project further in thedirection away from the top and which rivets pass through said aperturesand are headed beneath the sheet material bottom to hold said bottomagainst said spacer surfaces, said elements which have rivets therebyacting as spacers between the top wall and the bottom of the gamedevice.

3. A game device comprising top and end and side walls molded out oftransparent moldable plastic to form a single body which is generallyenclosed except at the bottom, a generally opaque bottom made of sheetmetal, and a ball, said sheet metal bottom being'indented and therebyshaped to cooperate with the ball to help control the same during itspassage over said bottom, the periphery of said molded plastic bodysurrounding the bottom and being appropriately stepped outwardly toreceive the bottom within its periphery and upwardly against its step inorder to properly space the bottom from the top wall and in order toprotect the edge of the sheet metal forming the bottom, at least oneball intercepting element molded integrally with said top wall andprojecting downwardly from said top wall toward the bottom, the lowerend of at least one ball intercepting element reaching said bottom to"support the same and to supplement the spacer action of the steppedperiphery, said molded body being shaped to form integral rivets whichrivets project in the direction away from the top and which rivets passthrough mating parts of the sheet metal bottom and are headed beneaththe bottom in order to hold the same inassembled ments molded integrallywith said top wall and projecting downwardly from said top wall towardthe bottom, the lower ends of some of said ball intercepting elementsbeing shaped to form spacer surfaces and rivets which rivets projectfurther in the direction away from the top and which rivets pass throughsaid apertures and are headed beneath the sheet material bottom to holdsaid bottom against said spacer surfaces, said elements which haverivets thereby acting as spacers between the top wall and the bottom ofthe game device, said ball projector being received upwardly into a partof said molded body and being positioned thereby against upwardmovement, the part of said molded body receiving said ball projectoralso bearing sidewards against the projector and thereby-serving toposition thewsame against 1mdesired lateral movement while permittingthe stepped outwardly to receive the bottom within its periphery andupwardly against its step in order to properly space the bottom from thetop wall and in order to protect the edge of the thin sheet materialforming the bottom, a plurality of ball intercepting elements moldedintegrally with said top wall and projecting downwardly from said topwall toward the bottom, said molded body being shaped to form integralrivets which rivets project in the direction away from the top and whichrivets pass through mating parts of the sheet material bottom and areheaded beneath the bottom in order to hold the same in assembledrelation with the body, said ball projector being positioned by a matingpart of said molded body against undesired movement while permitting thedesired ball projecting movement, one of said ball intercepting elementsbeing a wall disposed immediately adjacent to and at an angle leadingrearwardly and sidewards to the ball projector in order to guide andreturn a ball to the hall projector.

6. Agame device comprising top and end and side walls molded out oftransparent moldable plastic to form a single body which is generallyenclosed except at the bottom, a generally opaque bottom made of sheetmetal, at least one ball, and a resiliently movable ball projector, saidsheet metal bottom being indented and thereby shaped to cooperatewiththe ball to help control the same during its passage over saidbottom, the periphery of said molded plastic body surrounding the bottomto protect the edge of the sheet metal forming the bottom, said moldedbody beingshaped totform integral rivets which rivets project in thedirection away from the top and which rivets pass through mating partsof the sheet metal bottom and are, headed beneath the bottom in order tohold the same. in assembled relation with the body, at least one ballintercepting element molded integrally with said top wall and projectingdownwardly from said top wall toward the bottom and disposed immediatelyadjacent to and at an angle leading rearwardly and -sidewards. to theball projector-in order to guide and return a ballto the ball projector.1

2. A game device as defined in claim 4, in which the ball interceptingelements comprise pins in the form of inverted frustocones, -pooketsextending downwardly from the top wall, scoring stalls at the near .endof the game, and a partition wall extending generally longitudinally ofthe game and-separating one side of the game device to. form a ballstorage and ball projecting compartment at the resilient ball projectionRAYMOND J. LOI-IR. RICHARD N. CARVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references. are of record :in th file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,486 7 Great Britain Apr. 2 1, 1935

